Interactions Between Starch, Proteins and Lipids and the Formation of Ternary Complexes With Distinct Properties

Starch, proteins and lipids are three major components of many food products and the macronutrients in the human diet. The interactions between starch, proteins and lipids during food processing and their effects on the quality and nutritional value of final food products are of great interest to the food industry and academia. In this chapter, the formation and identification of starch-protein-lipid complexes, and the structure, in vitro enzymatic digestibility and potential applications of the ternary complex will be discussed. The formation of a ternary complex is affected by the type of fatty acids and sequence of addition of its components. In contrast to a starch-lipid complex, a starch-protein-lipid complex has a greater degree of ordered structures but a lower enzymatic digestibility. Starch-protein-lipid complex can be used as a carrier material for the entrapment of hydrophobic bioactive substances including food functional ingredients.